by R. S. Karunaratne

'Can, could' and 'may' for permission

We use 'can, could' and 'may' to ask for permission in a polite way.

Can I use the phone, please?
Father, can I leave the table now?
Can I wait here until you come back?
Can I borrow your dictionary, please?
Can I have a glass of water, please?
Can I use your pen, please?
Can I have some more coffee, please?

'Could' is more polite and formal than 'can.'

Could I borrow your bicycle, please?
Could I use your calculator, please?
Could I leave office early, please?
Could I take your photograph, please?
Could I borrow your newspaper, please?
Could I turn off the TV, please?

'Could I possibly...' is a more polite expression than 'could I."

Could I possibly come late to office tomorrow?
Could I possibly borrow your dictionary for a moment?
Could I possibly sit here until the director comes?
Could I possibly go for a film show tonight?
Could I possibly use the gym?

We cannot use 'could' or couldn't' to say that it is or it isn't ok to do things.

A: Can I leave my bicycle here, please?
B: Yes, you can. (NOT 'Yes, you could.)
You can't (NOT couldn't) use the library after school hours.
If you don't have a torch, you can
(NOT could) borrow mine.
A: Can the children play in the garden?
B: Yes, they can. (NOT could)
If you're bored, you can watch television. (NOT 'could')

We use 'can' to offer help.

Can I help you with your heavy bags?
Can I help you with your school work?
Can I pay the bill for you?
Can I come with you?
Can we swim in your swimming pool?

We often use 'may' in very formal situations and in schools to ask for permission or to ask if something is ok.

May I know your full name, please?
May I use the toilet, please?
May I go out during the interval, please?
May I join the trip to Polonnaruwa?
May I know your nationality, please?

We use 'may' to indicate that something is ok.

You may open your books now.
You may go home early today.
You may offer logic for the Advanced Level Examination.
You may bring your camera tomorrow.
You may play in the garden.

[Activity]

Fill in the blanks with 'can, could' or 'may' and check your answers with the key.

1. A: I have a terrible headache.
B: ............ I give you some aspirins?
2. A customer walks into a shop. Salesman: ........... I help you?
3. A: I'm going to make a cup of tea.
B: ........... you make one for me?
4. A: I have to do some shopping, but I'm tired.
B: .............. I do the shopping for you?
5. A: ......... I park my car here?
B: Yes, you can.
6. If you don't have a bicycle, you ........... borrow mine.
7. .............. I borrow Rs 1,000?
8. .............. I use your pen?
9............... I have some more ice cream?
10............. I leave my baby here?

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Key:

1.Can / could 2. Can / Could 3. Can / Could 4. Can / Could 5. Can / Could 6. can / could 7. Can / Could 8. Can / Could 9. Can / Could 10. Can / Could

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Match words and meanings

Here's a novel way to enrich your vocabulary. Match the words in Column A with their meanings in Column B. Check your answers with the key. The first one has been done for you.

[Column A]

Y 1. black belt
... 2. blacken
... 3. blackhead
... 4. black mood
... 5. blacksmith
... 6. black widow
... 7. blah blah
... 8. blameless
... 9. blameworthy
... 10. bland
... 11. blank verse
... 12. blare
... 13. blast
... 14. blaze
... 15. bleach
... 16. bleak
... 17. bleat
... 18. bleed
... 19. blemish
... 20. blend
... 21. blessed
... 22. blight
... 23. blind
... 24. bliss
... 25.blistering

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[Column B]

A. to become black or make something black
B. a very unhappy feeling
C. a very poisonous spider
D. not responsible for anything bad
E. not showing any interest or energy
F. to make an unpleasant loud noise
G. a large strong fire
H. cold, empty and not welcoming
I. to lose blood
J. to mix or combine together
K. a disease that damages and kills plants
L. unable to see
M. extremely hot
N. perfect happiness
O. holy
P. a mark on something that spoils its appearance
Q. to make a high shaking sound
R. to remove the colour from something
S. to explode something with explosives
T. a type of poetry that does not rhyme
U. having done something wrong
V. a phrase used to represent boring speech
W. a person who makes and repairs iron tools
X. a very small dark spot on the skin
Y. the symbol of a very high standard in judo or karate

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Key:

2.A 3. X 4. B 5. W 6. C 7. V 8. D 9. U 10. E 11. T 12. F 13. S 14. G 15. R 16. H 17. Q 18. I 19. P 20. J 21. O 22. K 23. L 24. N 25. M

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Starters:

Emphatic forms

For emphasis we use full forms such as 'is' or 'have' rather than their contractions. We stress the word when we speak.

Yes it is late, It's midnight.
My goodness, you have typed all the letters.

We can stress modal verbs such as 'will' and 'should' for emphasis.

You will do it for me, won't you?
You really should study more seriously.
You're a reckless driver. You should go back to the driving school.

In the simple present tense we use 'do' before a verb for emphasis.

You're right. I do agree with you.
You're so nice. I do love you.
Your hair is too long. You do need a haircut.
I do hope I'll get through the examination this time.
These dogs are ferocious. They do make a big noise throughout the night.

Similarly, we can use 'does' for third person singular subjects.

The new actress does get a lot of publicity.
He does care for his children.

Take care not to add an 's' to the verb.

She does look (NOT looks) beautiful.

We use 'did' for the simple past tense for emphasis.

I did call her several times, but there was no response.
I did remind you to return my umbrella.
I'm sure she did see a ghost!

'Do' with imperatives

We use 'do' with imperatives for emphasis in informal situations.
Do hurry up, we're already late for the show.
Do be quiet, the children are sleeping.
Do take a seat and make yourself comfortable.
Do have some more ice-cream.

[Activity]

Use emphatic words in the blanks and check your answers with the key.

1. Mothers .......... worry about their children's education.
2. I ........... finish my homework on time.
3. She ............ find the work difficult.
4. I ............ want to give up law studies.
5. This place ........... depress me.
6. Amanda ........... help poor children.
7. Yes, you ............. look wonderful!
8. My house ........... need a facelift.
9.She ........... want to give up medicine.
10. I ............ attend school on Friday.

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Key:

1.do 2. did 3. does 4. did 5. does 6. does 7. do 8. does 9. did 10. did

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Form adverbs from nouns

Words often come in families. You can expand your vocabulary by becoming familiar with these word families. Write the corresponding adverbs for the nouns in Column A and check your answers with the key.

[Column A ] [Column B]

1. office ...................
2. opening ..................
3. operation ...................
4. opposition ...................
5. option ...................
6. organisation ..................
7. original ..................
8. publication ..................
9. punishment .................
10. purity .................
11. purpose .................
12. quarter ................
13. question .............
14. quiet .................
15. race .................
16. rarity .................
17. readiness .................
18. realism ................
19. reason ...............
20. recognition ................
21. reflection .................
22. regret ................
23. regular ...............
24. relation ..............
25. reliability ..............

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Key:

1. officially 2. openly 3. operationally 4. opposite 5. optionally 6. disorganised 7. originally 8. publicly 9. punishingly 10. purely 11. purposefully 12. quarterly 13. unquestionably 14. quietly 15. racially 16. rarely 17. readily 18. realistically 19. reasonably 20. recognizably 21. reflectively 22. regrettably 23. regularly 24. relatively 25. reliably

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